The invention relates to the timely detection of electromagnetic fields created by alternating current flowing through electric power lines and notification of the helicopter pilot of their presence prior to landing.
Helicopters have the highest accident rate per 100,000 hours of operation of all commercial aircraft operated in the US. Most helicopter crashes occur during landing, often in inclement weather. Improvements such as lower cost radar, (Honeywell), are being introduced. The detection of power lines, which are not detectable by radar, in order to reduce the number of helicopter accidents, is the focus of this patent application.